Butter and Shortening

When a recipe calls for both margarine and shortening, why can't I use just one or the other? —L.P., Arvada, Colorado

Butter, margarine and shortening all have different properties that affect the texture and flavor of baked goods. Combining two different fats such as margarine and shortening will give a recipe some of each fat's best qualities. For example, by using both butter and shortening in a cookie recipe, you will get the wonderful flavor of butter, while the shortening will keep the cookies from spreading too flat.

Featured Recipes

"With a cookie-loving husband and seven kids, one batch of cookies doesn't last long here! When I make this colossal recipe, I divide it into thirds and make three different types to please everyone. One with chocolate chips and nuts, another with raisins and one with butterscotch chips. Everyone is happy!"
- Lisa Cooper, Paris, Texas

This is truly an "oldie", dating back to a Swedish woman born in 1877! Her daughter, Esther Davis, shared the recipe with me and she came up with all the exact measurements, since the original cookies were mixed by "feel" and taste. These are my favorite cookies and I hope they'll become yours as well.